Carrier mechanism and installation method for downhole gauge

Abstract

A tube for use inside a well. The tube includes a longitudinal body having two threaded ends, the body having a bore; a carrier mechanism located on an exterior of the body, wherein the carrier mechanism has a port and a protecting cover separated from each other by a pre-determined distance (D); and a nut configured to be screwed into the protecting cover.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tube for use inside a well, the tube comprising:
 a longitudinal body having two threaded ends, the body having a bore; 
 a carrier mechanism located on an exterior of the body, wherein the carrier mechanism has a port and a protecting cover separated from each other by a pre-determined distance (D) so as to accommodate a gauge there-between; and 
 a nut configured to be screwed into the protecting cover thereby compressing the gauge toward the port, 
 wherein the gauge has an electrical line that is fed through the nut or through a slot made in the nut. 
 
     
     
       2. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the entire carrier mechanism is located outside the tube. 
     
     
       3. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the port has a port face configured to contact a first gauge face of the gauge to achieve a metal-to-metal line seal contact. 
     
     
       4. The tube of  claim 3 , wherein the gauge has a second face that is curved and configured to mate with a curved face of the nut so that the gauge is centered relative to the protecting cover. 
     
     
       5. The tube of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the curved face of the nut and the second face of the gauge is covered with a damping material. 
     
     
       6. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the gauge is fed through the protecting cover prior to contacting the port when the protecting cover has no slot or the gauge is introduced through a slot formed in the protecting cover. 
     
     
       7. The tube of  claim 6 , wherein the gauge is fixed at both ends when attached to the carrier mechanism. 
     
     
       8. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the protecting cover is cylindrical and protects the gauge attached to the port. 
     
     
       9. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the protecting cover has an inside threaded region and the nut has an outside threaded region and the threaded regions mate with each other. 
     
     
       10. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier mechanism further comprises:
 a pair of rails fixedly attached to an exterior of the tube, 
 wherein the protecting cover is configured to be movably attached to the pair of rails to accommodate gauges having different lengths. 
 
     
     
       11. The tube of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the gauge configured to measure a parameter inside the well, the gauge being attached to the carrier mechanism at both ends without rotating the gauge relative to the port. 
 
     
     
       12. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the port is another protecting cover having a corresponding nut. 
     
     
       13. A measuring system for measuring a parameter inside of a well, the measurement system comprising:
 a tubular having a longitudinal body with two threaded ends, the body having a bore; 
 a carrier mechanism located on an exterior of the body, wherein the carrier mechanism has a port and a protecting cover separated from each other by a pre-determined distance (D); 
 a gauge having at least one sensor for measuring the parameter; and 
 a nut configured to be screwed into the protecting cover to compress the gauge toward the port, 
 wherein the carrier mechanism further comprises: 
 a pair of rails fixedly attached to an exterior of the body, 
 wherein the protecting cover is configured to be movably attached to the pair of rails to accommodate gauges having different lengths. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the entire carrier mechanism and gauge are located outside the body. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the port has a port face configured to contact a first gauge face of the gauge to achieve a metal-to-metal line seal, and the gauge has a second face that is curved and configured to mate with a curved face of the nut so that the gauge is centered relative to the protecting cover. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the curved face of the nut and the second face of the gauge is covered with a damping material. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gauge is fixed at both ends when attached to the carrier mechanism. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gauge has an electrical line that is fed through the nut or through a slot made in the nut. 
     
     
       19. A method for attaching a gauge to a carrier mechanism, wherein the carrier mechanism is attached to a tubular, the method comprising:
 inserting a nut over an electrical line which is attached to the gauge and cannot rotate; 
 feeding the gauge through a protecting cover of the carrier mechanism, wherein the protecting cover is cylindrical and attached to the tubular; 
 screwing the nut into the protecting cover to sandwich the gauge between a port of the carrier mechanism and the nut; and 
 tightening the nut so that a metal-to-metal line seal is achieved by a first face of the gauge and a port face of the port so that the gauge is fixed at both ends relative to the tubular. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming a slot into the nut. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 machining the tubular and the carrier mechanism from a same piece of material. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming a slot into the protecting cover.